Religious ceremonies have recommenced at the historic Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi in Lahore after the site was reclaimed from illegal occupation and returned to the Sikh community. This marks the first time worship has taken place there since the 1947 Partition.
Situated in Lahore’s Qinchi Chungi Amarsadhu area, the gurdwara was reopened following a coordinated operation by local authorities and police to evict unauthorized occupants, enabling the property to be handed back to the Sikh community.
After the shrine’s restoration, Sikh worshippers gathered to recite the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, perform Gurbani Kirtan, and engage in Naam Simran, reinstating religious practices at this significant place of worship after nearly eight decades.
Dr. Gulab Singh, a Sikh leader who spearheaded the efforts to recover the shrine, hailed the reopening as a historic achievement for the community. He expressed gratitude to the district administration, police, and other officials who facilitated the recovery process.
He also highlighted the contributions of Additional Secretary Shrines Naseer Mushtaq from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs and Human Rights Ramesh Singh Arora, who also serves as president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), for their persistent dedication to restoring the shrine.
Dr. Gulab Singh urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to support full restoration and conservation efforts to safeguard the gurdwara’s religious and historical importance for future generations.
In a significant development, Ramesh Singh Arora emphasized that Pakistan is the “first home” of the Sikh community and that the government is committed to reviving more Sikh religious sites nationwide. He revealed plans to reactivate around 50 gurdwaras, with restoration work already underway on 17 shrines as part of the initial phase, enabling Sikh worship to resume at multiple historic locations.
Representatives from the Sikh community noted that Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi had remained abandoned since the Partition of British India in 1947 and was allegedly subjected to illegal occupation for decades.
The shrine is considered one of Lahore’s most important Sikh religious landmarks. It is believed to have been sanctified by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, during his 1619 visit. The current structure was constructed under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and its renovation and expansion were overseen by the renowned philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram in 1922.
The reopening of Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi is viewed as a crucial step toward preserving Pakistan’s Sikh religious heritage and restoring access to historic places of worship for the Sikh community in the country.
